1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to scent emitting patches and/or bandages; and more particularly to bandages and/or patches designed to release a preselected scent on command.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Perfume sprays and lotions are frequently applied to the skin so that a pleasant scent is emitted. It is nearly impossible for a user to apply the optimal amount of perfume for all day wear as the perfume aroma dissipates. Frequently, users administer a liberal application of perfume in the morning. An overly potent fragrance emanates therefrom. However, the fragrance becomes diluted to nearly non-existent by the end of the day. Release of scent from perfumes currently applied is not readily controlled by the wearer. As a perfumed scent dissipates, the user must reapply the perfumed spray, oil or lotion.
Bandages are well known in the art and are used for various medical applications and sports protection. Sterile bandages marketed under well-recognized trade names, such as ‘Band-Aid’, ‘Cural’ and the like, provide secure attachment of the bandage's adhesive portion to bare skin adjacent to a wound. A sterile wound-covering pad is appointed to come into contact the wound. Few bandages afford scent dispersing mechanisms. Those that do provide a bandage wherein an adhesive portion has fragrance portions disposed therein. A release cover is releasably secured to the adhesive portion. When removed, the cover allows for release of a scent associated with the fragrance portions Such a bandage is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,787,679 and 6,921,844 to Cantor. These bandages fail to provide release of the scents on command by pressing the external side of the bandage to release perfume. Instead, scent is released when a release cover is removed, exposing the fragrance portions.
Various nasal dilators and strips have been devised that include microencapsulated fragrances and methods for emitting aromas when wearing the nasal dilators. The nasal dilators are adhesively applied external nasal strips and dilators containing medications and fragrances including an elongated substrate, with or without a dilating component or portion, having top and bottom surfaces and a pressure-sensitive adhesive disposed on the bottom surface with a cosmetic fragrance, an aromatic medication and/or transdermal medication disposed on the strips or dilators. Such devices can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,011,093 to Anderson, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,428 to Cronk, et al. These nasal dilators do not provide perfume bandages or patches with pressure sensitive release of scents that can be applied anywhere on the body. Rather, these nasal dilators are limited to use on a person's nose and are constructed for aiding breathing through the nose.
Personal perfume application methods and systems have been suggested for fragrance emitting patches. One type provides a fragrance emitting patch that is worn with the fragrance emitting side facing the skin of the user with the adhesive side adhered to the user's clothing so that the fragrance contacts the body oils of the user and a muted odor is emitted. Other devices provide similar patches that are adhered to articles of clothing in general. Such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,457 to Martz, U.S. Design Pat. No. D580,593 to Huntington, U.S. Pat. No. 6,723,671 to Zolotarsky, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,011 to Spector. These devices do not provide for controlled release of the scent. Rather the scent is disseminated throughout the day as the fragrance contacts the body and rubs against the skin.
Notwithstanding the efforts of prior art workers to manage scent emission, there exists a need in the art for a scent emitting bandage or patch that adheres to the skin securely and releases scent when pressure is applied to an exterior surface thereof. There also remains a need in the art for a flexible bandage or patch that is designed to release a preselected scent on command. Further, there remains an art recognized need for a bandage or patch having an adhesive into which are admixed a plurality of microcapsules or micro pockets that contain a perfumed scent; which microcapsules or micro pockets fracture upon application of pressure to the exterior surface of the bandage, triggering release of the perfumed scent.